♞Chess Trainer
A07Play as White2 lines to train

Learn the King's Indian Attack

A flexible kingside fianchetto system that delays central commitment and builds a familiar attack. White aims to complete the setup, close the center with e5, and attack the king.

Practice this openingUnderstand the moves
Main line

1. Nf3 d5 2. g3 Nf6 3. Bg2 e6 4. O-O Be7 5. d3

1.Nf31…d52.g32…Nf63.Bg23…e64.O-O4…Be75.d3

The idea

Why this opening works

The King's Indian Attack gives White a clear route to complete the setup, close the center with e5, and attack the king. Its recurring positions revolve around the e5 wedge, kingside piece buildup, and opposite-wing play, so the repertoire rewards understanding the structure as much as remembering the move order.

What to remember

  • Know the first 8 half-moves of the main line.
  • Understand the purpose of your key moves before adding more theory.
  • Practice the branches until you can respond without move-order guessing.

Move by move

The moves worth understanding

Theory sticks when every move has a job. Start with these ideas from the trainer.

Scroll down through 5 positions

  1. Position 1 of 5

    1.Nf3

    g1 → f3

    Nf3 begins the King's Indian Attack plan: complete the setup, close the center with e5, and attack the king.

  2. Position 2 of 5

    2.g3

    g2 → g3

    g3 gains kingside space and prepares the pawn lever that gives this setup its attacking potential.

  3. Position 3 of 5

    3.Bg2

    f1 → g2

    Bg2 activates the bishop on a diagonal that supports the opening’s central and kingside ideas.

  4. Position 4 of 5

    4.O-O

    e1 → g1

    O-O secures the king and brings a rook closer to the files that matter in this structure.

  5. Position 5 of 5

    5.d3

    d2 → d3

    d3 reinforces the center and prepares the next piece-development or pawn-break decision.

Trainer variations

Lines you’ll meet

These are representative branches from the drill, not a demand to memorize everything at once.

Line 11. Nf3 d5 2. g3 Nf6 3. Bg2 e6 4. O-O Be7 5. d3
Line 21. Nf3 d5 2. g3 g6 3. Bg2 Bg7 4. O-O

Quick answers

King's Indian Attack questions

What is the King's Indian Attack?

A flexible kingside fianchetto system that delays central commitment and builds a familiar attack. White aims to complete the setup, close the center with e5, and attack the king. The King's Indian Attack gives White a clear route to complete the setup, close the center with e5, and attack the king. Its recurring positions revolve around the e5 wedge, kingside piece buildup, and opposite-wing play, so the repertoire rewards understanding the structure as much as remembering the move order.

What is the main line of the King's Indian Attack?

This trainer starts with 1. Nf3 d5 2. g3 Nf6 3. Bg2 e6 4. O-O Be7 5. d3. The exact move order can change by variation, so learn the purpose of each move as well as the sequence.

Is the King's Indian Attack good to learn as White?

It can be a useful part of a White repertoire if its positions match how you like to play. Learn the main plan first, then use the drill to test the recurring replies.

Study next

A09Réti OpeningHypermodern system — control the center with pieces and fianchetto, not pawns.1. Nf3 d5 2. c4 d4 3. e3 Nc6 4. exd4 Nxd4 5. d3 Nf6 6. g3C50Italian GameClassic development with Bc4 targeting f7. Solid and principled.1. e4 e5 2. Nf3 Nc6 3. Bc4 Bc5 4. c3 Nf6 5. d4 exd4 6. cxd4 Bb4+ 7. Bd2 Bxd2+ 8. Nbxd2 d5 9. exd5C60Ruy LopezOne of the oldest and most respected openings, pressuring the knight defending e5.1. e4 e5 2. Nf3 Nc6 3. Bb5 a6 4. Ba4 Nf6 5. O-O Be7 6. Re1 b5 7. Bb3 O-O 8. d3

Turn the guide into recall

Now play the King's Indian Attack from memory.

The drill gives you an opponent reply, checks your response, and repeats the branches that need more work.

Start the free drillAll opening guides